The fitness community is mourning the loss of a rising star.
Influencer Mila De Jesus has died at age 35, her daughter Anna Clara shared on the Brazilian star's Instagram page on Jan. 15.
"We are very sad to hear of the passing of our beautiful mother," she wrote in Portuguese via translation. "We appreciate all the prayers and condolences. Continue to pray for us Thank you."
A cause of death was not shared.
Mila was known for her candid posts about her weight loss journey, documenting her transformation after undergoing bariatric surgery in 2017 and an abdominoplasty (a tummy tuck procedure) the following year. She said she lost 150 pounds within four years of the former surgery.
"The Secret??" she wrote on Instagram in 2021 via translation. "Don't give up. Persistence. Focused on the mission . What ever you focus on expands Focus on what you really want and enjoy your achievement. Ahhhh and believe in yourself."
Mila believed that her decision to get bariatric surgery—which often reduces stomach size to promote weight loss—truly "changed my life in so many ways," as she explained in November.
She often shared before-and-after shots of her body to celebrate her progress.
"On one side Mila aged 22 and on the other Mila aged 35, how much we change huh, how we grow and how we learn. Pride girl pride," she captioned one shot in Portuguese, while writing in another side-by-side comparison, "If I can do it, you can too..."
The Massachusetts-based model also recently marked several personal milestones, including her wedding to partner George Kowszik in September 2023.
The same month, Mila celebrated her daughter's 15th birthday, calling the teen "my friend and often my coach" in a sweet social media tribute. "What a privilege to be your mother my love," she continued. "May God bless you and enlighten your life always. I love you."
In addition to Anna Clara, Mila is also mom to a young son Bento Luis De Jesus and 17-year-old son Pedro Marçal.
In her Instagram bio, she called herself a "Resilient Mom" with "A RANDOM mind and very high spirits."
Following her passing, Mila's friend Lila Katz also spoke out on the devastating loss.
"I can't believe you're gone, my friend, my life...my light!" she wrote on social media in Portuguese. "The best person in the world, a huge heart, never felt jealous of anything or anyone!"
She continued, "My dear friend, how hard it is to deal with this pain. So many dreams have yet to come true and many goals have yet to be achieved. We had everything lined up for 2024 / we had an action plan and you were giving me huge joy with all your evolution. We had such a productive end of the year conversation and you, as always, are an excellent listener. You and your various qualities! Ohhh my love... How it hurts."
To see Mila's life in photos, keep reading.
December 2011
April 2012
March 2013
January 2014
February 2015
April 2015
July 2015
May 2016
June 2017
February 2018
January 2019
August 2019
March 2020
February 2021
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September 2023
December 2023